By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
Which car for your family size?
Count heads first, then bags. Assure plans every car with the front passenger seat and the chauffeur’s seat in mind, so the figures below are passengers excluding the chauffeur. They are Assure’s planning figures, estimated from the makers’ boot space, not measured. The full chart is in the seats and luggage capacity guide.
| Family | Suitable car | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2 adults, 1 child, 2 cases | Mercedes S-Class or Lexus ES 300h | 3 passengers in the rear, 2 large cases |
| 2 adults, 2 children, 4 cases and a pram | Mercedes-Benz V-Class or GMC Yukon | 6 seats, about 4 or 3 large cases |
| 2 adults, 3 children, 5 cases | V-Class, or a V-Class plus a luggage car | Fifth and sixth seats use boot space |
| 6 travellers with a case each | V-Class, Cadillac Escalade or GMC Yukon | Check bags against the third row |
| 7 to 9 travellers | Mercedes Sprinter or two cars | Seven-plus fills a three-row SUV |
The vans and luxury SUVs pages show each model. The Kia Carnival, Citroen SpaceTourer and Hyundai Staria are also 6-passenger options. Cars from the partner network are available through our partner network, subject to availability.
How many suitcases does a family bring?
Plan by bags, not seats. A family of four on a two-week holiday often lands with 4 large cases, 2 cabin bags, a pram and a car seat. That is 6 or 7 pieces, which is why a sedan fails even though 4 people could technically sit in one.
Count a pram, a travel cot and a car seat in a bag as one large item each. For a family of seven or more, read the 7-seater chauffeur car guide before you choose. Golf clubs, bikes and other odd items are covered in the oversized luggage guide.
Child seats and boosters: what to request and when
UAE rules, as Dubai Police explained them and the RTA published, require a protection seat for any child under four. A child aged 10 or below, or shorter than 145 cm, may not sit in the front. The traffic law in force is Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, effective 29 March 2025. We did not find a newer text restating those thresholds, so confirm with the Ministry of Interior if it matters to you.
Request seats at booking, not at the airport. Send:
- Each child’s age, weight and height.
- Whether you bring your own seat or want one supplied.
- Infant seat, forward-facing seat or booster, if you know.
Assure confirms the seat types it can supply with your quote. Nothing is promised until it is confirmed. The child car seats guide covers the rules in more detail.
Prams, strollers and your own car seat
A folded stroller takes the space of one large suitcase. A pram with a rigid base can take more, so send its folded length and width. If you bring your own seat, say whether it uses ISOFIX or the seat belt. The chauffeur fits it before meeting you, so a rear-facing infant seat is ready when you walk out with a sleeping baby.
Meeting your chauffeur at DXB with children
Dubai Airports states that Arrivals has no pick-up area, so a driver cannot wait kerbside. Your chauffeur waits inside the arrivals hall with a name board, and sends a WhatsApp message with the exact spot.
- Terminal 3: Emirates flights. Read the Terminal 3 arrivals guide.
- Terminal 2: mostly flydubai, which also flies from Terminal 3.
- Terminal 1: most other airlines.
Send your flight number and terminal. Families arriving at DWC or Zayed International get the same hall meeting. For Abu Dhabi, see airport transfers from Zayed International.
Long transfers with children: Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah
Distances below are from DXB by mapping-service estimates, and evening traffic adds time.
| Destination | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | about 139 km | about 1 h 30 |
| Ras Al Khaimah city | about 92 km | about 1 h 15 |
| Fujairah city | about 109 km | 1 h 30 to 2 h |
On the Abu Dhabi run, keep children out of an SUV’s third row if you can, because the second row has more legroom. Tell the chauffeur if you need a feeding or nappy stop. Our airport transfers page lists every route.
What to send on WhatsApp before you land
Message +971 56 684 8148, 24/7, with:
- Flight number, terminal and date.
- Adults, children and each child’s age.
- Number of large cases, cabin bags, prams and car seats.
- Hotel or villa address.
The full chauffeur car guide explains the rest of the fleet. If you travel with an animal, read the pets guide too, or browse the whole fleet.
Photos in this guide
Baggage reclaim belts and travelators in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall at Dubai InternationalDearEdward / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
A black long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz V-Class van on a white backgroundMercedes-Benz, Manufacturer press image, editorial use
A GMC Yukon full-size SUV on a white backgroundGMC, Manufacturer press image, editorial use
A red child booster seat fitted on the rear seat of a carShixart1985 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
